The Demotrons - Beg, Borrow, And Steal

This is the first version of the legendary garage classic, Beg Borrow And Steal -- er, not entirely. It's the first version that was issued on the Cameo label. I guess with the Rare Breed version out on the Attack label, Cameo couldn't quite decide what to do...do they put out their own version and compete with it? Sure! But when they realize that their version just won't beat the success of the version already out there, what do they do? They lease the Rare Breed master for it and reissue it as the Ohio Express! Genius....Unfortunately, this great version of the song (which, by the way, is Cameo 456 while the Ohio Express version is Cameo 483) got lost in the shuffle, and has been largely forgotten over the last 40 years. The copyright on this sound recording is owned by Abkco Music, Inc...please support them and their releases of Cameo Parkway material so that we may see more of it come out on cd. However, until that happens, you can still hear great lost oldies like this one every night live on www.topshelfoldies.com!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• The
• Demotrons
• Beg
• Borrow
• And
• Steal
• Rare
• Breed
• Ohio
• Express
• Attack
• Cameo
• 1967
• Topshelf
• Oldies

[mstern18]

interesting. although i dont have enough mental energy right now to figure out everything in the description :)

the horns seem to take the place of the organ, interesting move. this version in general has a lot more energy to it, i think. and did anyone tell the singer that its "beg, borrow, *and* steal"?

[TopshelfTom]

I hope this simplifies things:

First release of this song: Attack records as by the Rare Breed

Second release of this song: The version you're listening to by the Demotrons on Cameo

Third release of this song: Same as the first, but now on Cameo Records as by the Ohio Express.

Hope that helps :-) Oh, perhaps the singer didn't want to beg, borrow AND steal, but perhaps just to choose one of the three...perhaps after all she would be worth taking back if he had to end up doing all 3?

[posaico]

wow what a joy, its as good as ohio express's, but the original has a special value

[pgh45rpms]

Thanks for the posting! Never heard the Demotrons version before. I like their horn section - sounds more like blue-eyed soul than garage band music.

[huskyjerk]

The Rare Breed's version is tops. Check that one out.

[thecountofbasie]

New to me...not as tough as the Rare Breed, but great...thanks Tom

[75capriceconvertible]

Oh, this is awesome, I had only ever heard the Ohio Express, used to have it, can't find my copy now

[MikeBlitzMag]

This version got a lot of press at the time that the Ohio Express single on Cameo (which of course was in reality the Rare Breed version) was on the charts. It never did catch on, chart-wise. But it definitely lives up to the accolades. Actually, there really isn't a bad version of this song!

[spy4863]

I'd sure love to hear some of my other favorites sing this song..........like Joey Levine, The Archies, Ron Dante, Neil Diamond, Tommy Roe, Tommy James, The Shondells, The Monkees, The Who, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Tony Burrows, The 1910 Fruitgum Company, The Third Rail, The Partridge Family, The Cowsills, The Sweet........I know none of them recorded that song (Well....maybe The 1910 Fruitgum Company recorded it!), but I would love to hear it if any or all of them did!

[spy4863]

Thanks for posting this song! It's a great tune, and I love any and all versions of it, no matter who sings it! The Rare Breed, The Ohio Express, Aftermath..........Anybody!

[Khultan]

Wow!!! : ) It's a different sound from the others. I like it!

[RetroJoe66]

WOW! A great find!

[eoj2495]

Nice - tks for posting! Never heard this version..

[peppertree5706]

So nice!